retired_shaneltolbert

Have you used the editor or bought the players yourself???

BarryLFC

Big European Night 1: Manchester United v Celtic, Champions League Matchday 1, Old Trafford, 12th September

It was one of those nights you look forward to for ages, then before you realise, it's passed. Celtic were forced to make one change from the Old Firm victory, on loan striker Aliadière ineligible, so Albert Luque made his first start for the club. Indeed, it was Luque who had Celtic's first chance, firing wide after half an hour.

United were by far the stronger side, but a flurry of early chances came and went, and after the Luque chance more were spurned by the home side. It came as some surprise then when Jiri Jarosik headed home Alan Hutton's ambitious cross in first half stoppage time, giving the Bhoys a scarecely deserved interval lead.

United were less remarkable after the break, though Louis Saha passed up three golden opportunities to level, before Kevin Nolan and former United player Dong Fangzhuo replaced Thomas Gravesen and a nicked up Vennegoor of Hesselink with fifteen minutes to play. Going into the final ten minutes, then, it seemed like a rip-roaring finish was in order. Jim screamed at his players to hold the ball, take their time, not to give up anything cheap and they did so admirably, restricting United to overly ambitious passes, long range shots and other desperation maneouvres on their way to a famous away victory.

Manchester United 0-1 Celtic Jarosik 45 MoM: Zat Knight (Celtic)

BarryLFC

Haven't used the editor. Bought these guys, sold the ones that were too wee/big.

BarryLFC

Big European Night 2: Rangers v Nancy, UEFA Cup Round 1, Leg 1, Ibrox, 14th September

And so, on to Ibrox for Rangers' opening European fixture of the year, against Ligue 1 cracks Nancy. With Blazej Augustyn having struggled on his debut, George Abbey was restored to the first team, with Claudio Maldonado replacing the ineffectual Lee Chun-Soo in midfield and Nacho Novo starting in place of Thomas Buffel. Salomon Olembé returned in place of Steven Smith, completing the changes to the side that capitulated here just five days previously.

Sanny hadn't yet found that perfect blend of talent that would allow him to enter matches with confidence, but he belived in himself, and expected that he could adjust to whatever Nancy threw at him and his team. Nobody in a Rangers shirt was allowed to contemplate anything other than victory.

Twenty minutes in, the offside flag saved Rangers and with Lita and Novo spurning chance after chance it was just as well. No goals came about before the break, and Sanny opted to throw Chris Burke on for the injured Scott Brown at half time, looking for a spark of inspiration. And inspire he did, creating a clutch of early opportunites, though none were taken.

Steven Fletcher replaced Landon Donovan in one last throw of the dice, and the Scot knew that he would get one chance. Only he didn't, Nancy did, and they scored in the last minute to rock Ibrox to its foundations.

Rangers 0-1 Nancy Mendy 89 MoM: Thierry Bayle (Nancy)

BarryLFC

Big European Night 3: Celtic v Benfica, Champions League Matchday 2, Parkhead, 27th September


Celtic Park geared up for it's first big European night of the year. Portuguese champions Benfica were in town, but with the Old Trafford win behind them, Jim's bhoys were full of confidence.

Albert Luque stepped in for Aliadière and netted a penalty midway through the first half. Before long, however, Benfica were level and the stage was set for a second half shootout. Some key blocks and timely headers kept both attacks at bay through the hour, but with twenty minutes to play, substitute Zoltán Gera teed up Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink to restore the Celtic lead.

That done, attention turned to preserving the advantage, Zat Knight, of all people, running to the corner to eat up a few valuable seconds. Steven Whittaker and Kevin Nolan replaced Gravesen and Jarosik to kill off yet more time, and though Gordon had one more save to make, it wasn't a tough one and hte points were secure.

Celtic 2-1 Benfica Luque 23(pen), Vennegoor of Hesselink 70; Anderson 32 MoM - Zoltán Gera

BarryLFC

Big European Night 4: Nancy v Rangers, UEFA Cup Round 1, Leg 2, Stade Marcel Picot, 28th September

After the shock reversal in leg 1, Sanny's Rangers side were out to put Nancy back in their place, should they prove capable of doing so. Ninety seconds was all it took for Leroy Lita to put to rest the ghosts of the first leg, levelling the aggregate score with a neat finish. Nancy are, as they have shown, no slouches, however and levelled the score on the night with fifteen minutes played.

Lita, though, was not finished, setting up Steven Fletcher to put Rangers ahead for the first time in the tie, albeit on away goals, before the break. At the interval, sadly, Rangers lost Scott Brown to a nasty looking injury, and a penalty ten minutes into the second half had them looking down and out. The Nancy goalie, despite the two he had lost, was doing just enough to keep his side ahead and with twenty minutes to play it looked bleak for Sanny and his team.

There was to be no roll of the dice, though. Sanny opted to stand or fall with the men he chose to score goals, and so it was up to Lita and Fletcher to make a miracle happen. It was Fletcher who had two great chances, but each was spurned and the European campaign ended in tragic embarrassment on the fields of Nancy.

Nancy 2-2 Rangers Dia 14, Bayle 54(pen); Lita 2, Fletcher 39 MoM - Leroy Lita (Rangers)

BarryLFC

Big European Night 5: Celtic v Osasuna, Champions League Matchday 3, Parkhead, 18th October

With two superb wins in the bank, Celtic faced a double-header with Spanish shock-troops Osasuna, starting at Celtic Park. Victory here would all but assure qualification for the knockout stages, and Jim had his men fired up and ready to go. An injury to Craig Gordon meant Oman international Ali Al-Habsi debuted in goal, whilst Rob Jones returned for the ineligible Stephen McManus. It promised to be a key night for their continental ambitions.

Osasuna, as was clear from their presence in the competition, were no slouches, and they came out pressing for a goal. Al-Habsi was in no mood to be beaten on his debut, however, and repelled all that was thrown at him in the early going. Celtic weren't creating a lot of opportunities, indeed both their genuine first half efforts were woefully off-target from the boot of Jérémie Aliadière. A scoreless first half had not been on the pre-match agenda.

Jarosik and Zurawski made way for Nolan and Luque at half time, but it was still Osasuna directing the flow of traffic. Thomas Gravesen nearly deflected a woeful Kevin Nolan shot at goal, but moments later the visitors led, Savo Milosovic scoring a neat header. With ten minutes to play, Valdo made it 2-0 and Celtic were right up against the wall. In a desperation move, Jim sent on Dong Fangzhuo for Aliadière, but few in the crowd expected goals from the Chinese.

Straight from kickoff, Dong ran at the Osasuna defence who, perhaps surprised, backed off, allowing Thomas Gravesen to drill home a goal from 30 yards, but that was all Celtic could muster, and the home defeat would likely come back to haunt them when all was said and done.

Celtic 1-2 Osasuna Gravesen 84; Milosevic 68, Valdo 81 MoM: Valdo (Osasuna)